Alabama’s Matt Mathews has conquered social media with his funny farm videos and launched a successful career as a stand-up comedian. Now he’s ready to make his mark on national television, charming viewers with his sassy quips and self-deprecating humor.

Case in point: Mathews was featured on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” on Friday, chatting with the singer and NBC talk-show host. He looked entirely at ease on Clarkson’s show, if a little concerned about his wardrobe.

“Girl, I can’t breathe,” Mathews said, making Clarkson laugh. “I got Spanx on. … Look, I wasn’t about to come on here looking like a busted can of biscuits. You look right and tight. I was like, I can’t look left and loose.”

Clarkson showcased a few clips of the “farm chores” videos that have made the McCalla resident a sensation on TikTok, Facebook and Instagram, with more than 8 million followers combined. Between chuckles, Clarkson asked Mathews about his life’s journey as a farmer, boudoir photographer and comedian.

“I always loved entertainment, and I always wanted to make people laugh and entertain people,” Mathews said, noting that friends had urged him to try stand-up. “Finally, I was like, let’s give it a shot. And it popped off!”

Mathews, 31, lives on a farm about 20 miles southwest of Birmingham, with horses, pigs, chickens, goats and more. In his most popular videos, Mathews can be seen wearing a bathrobe, affectionately cussing out the animals as he feeds them and does other necessary chores. His catch phrase, “I hate it here!” is beloved by his followers and adorns some of his fan merchandise, such as hoodies, can huggers and coffee mugs.

READ: How an Alabama man became a TikTok star with funny farm videos (‘I hate it here!’)

“What is your least favorite farm chore?” Clarkson asked. “Girl, that chicken doo-doo,” Mathews said. “It’s a lot. It’s too much.”

Although he warned that any chickens who peck him will be headed to KFC, fans know that Mathews is actually quite fond of his flock. In fact, he posted an emotional video when Fluffy, his favorite chicken, died in fall 2023, saying “If love would have saved you, you would have lived forever.” Mathews now has a merchandise line in her honor, called “Forever Flufffy.”

As Clarkson noted, social media fame gave Mathews a major nudge toward stand-up comedy. To start, he sold out three dates in early 2023 at at the Comedy Club Stardome in Hoover. A national tour followed, called “When That Thang Get Ta Thang’n,” allowing Mathews to polish his craft, share autobiographical anecdotes and meet his fans in person.

Farm chores prompted the name for his tour, and Clarkson cracked up when Mathews explained the connection, which involves him twerking while picking up a hay bale. (Watch the video at the top of this post for the full story.)

Mathews has scheduled more comedy dates in 2024, including a show in London, and will tape a performance on July 20 at the Alabama Theatre in Birmingham. There’s no word yet on what the “special live taping” is for, but a comedy special seems likely.